Lacson: Pampanga, CamSur seen to get huge pork insertions

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Panfilo Lacson has identified the areas where the alleged huge insertions in the 2019 budget would go— one is in Pampanga, and the other is in Camarines Sur.

Lacson earlier alleged that a congressman would get an additional P1.5 billion while a congresswoman got an additional P1.6 billion.

READ: Lacson: 2 lawmakers get P1.5 billion in pork each

From P360 million, he said, the congressman’s allocation ballooned to P1.906 billion. The congresswoman’s budget, on the other hand, more than doubled from P726 million to P2.242 billion.

While keeping mum on the identities of the two lawmakers, Lacson presented documents at the Senate floor on Wednesday, showing where the funds would go.

Among the list is a P500-million budget for farm-to-market roads in Lubao, Pampanga, home province of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I don’t know who’s from Lubao, Mr. President,” Lacson said.

Asked in an interview during the break if he was referring to Arroyo’s district, Lacson simply pointed to the list he presented on the floor.

“It’s all there. Kung saang district yun, kung sino yung district representative,” he said.

“I cannot absolutely say na sa kanya [Arroyo] yan. Baka iba yung nag-insert doon para sa district na yun. But logic dictates na kung sino, siyempre you take care of your district, di ba?”

Pressed on the P1.9-billion budget allotted for another lawmaker, Lacson told reporters to just look at the General Appropriation Bill (GAB).

“Nasa libro, tingnan nyo ang GAB, nasa Camarines Sur,” he said.

When reporters mentioned the name of House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya, Lacson said: “Di ko sinasabing kay Rep. Andaya. Basta nasa Camarines Sur.” /jpv

RELATED STORY

Arroyo confident House will pass 2019 nat’l budget on time